The odds are you have a Netflix account, and you watch it a lot.
If so, you definitely are not the only one. According to some reports, the Netflix subscriber count as of 2022 is 221.64 million.
Netflix is one of the greatest inventions of our generation and provides thousands of interesting films that we wouldn’t have such convenient access to otherwise, not to mention the incredible original content they now produce.
Most everyone appreciates Netflix. After all, Netflix practically gave the world the ability to binge-watch an entire season of a TV show in one day. (Don’t be ashamed, we’ve all done it.)
Many other streaming services have become available since Netflix’s started streaming content in 2007, but they’re still one of the biggest ones around.
The categories of Netflix
It goes without saying that there are many different categories and genres of films and TV shows on Netflix, including ones that help to educate people on the harms of pornography and the adult entertainment industry.
Most notably, the Rashida Jones-produced documentary Hot Girls Wanted was released exclusively on Netflix a few years ago, and showed the world a raw look at the pain and degradation of teen girls who enter the amateur porn industry.
There have also been a few educational documentaries about sex trafficking, sexual exploitation, and rape. Films like these are valuable tools that do exactly what we try to do every day: raise awareness on important issues like the harms of porn and help educate people on how they can make a difference.
But just like anything else online, wherever you can find quality content, you can find some questionable content as well.
But is there porn on Netflix? Do they have some hidden porn section that’s comparable to what you’d find on Pornhub or another mainstream porn site?
Not exactly. Allow us to explain.
There are many titles on Netflix (and most other streaming platforms) that have graphic, egregious sexual content, and it would be a good idea to be aware of them. It may surprise you to know that there are more than a few titles on Netflix that contain an NC-17 rating—the highest rating given by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
In addition to several NC-17 titles on Netflix, some of which have “Extended Director’s Cut” titles, there are also many titles that are Unrated (UR) or Not Rated (NR). Films with any of these three ratings can show full-frontal male and female nudity as well as long, graphic sex scenes.
Keep in mind that almost all mainstream theater chains do not even show NC-17 rated films due to their notoriously graphic sexual content.
Perhaps what’s most important to be aware of is that many of the titles that contain graphic sexual content are right next to the movies you regularly watch and might even be recommended in the genres you usually browse. At one point, Netflix even had a specific subcategory in its Romance genre titled “Steamy,” where you could watch “Steamy Movies” as well as “Steamy TV Shows,” etc.
Many of the marketing images have sexually suggestive themes and many of the sexually explicit NC-17 and Unrated films are suggested there.
The availability of explicit content on Netflix
While Netflix doesn’t contain an actual, official XXX section of adult films, it still contains some content that is sexually explicit and could easily be accessed by whoever knows how to work Netflix—which these days is kids, many of whom are too young to even be able to read the titles.
These graphic films—some of which we’ve written about—are available for anyone with an account to stream. And how many of us have a younger family member who knows how to work a computer, iPod, iPad, or AppleTV better than their own parents? Yes, there are parental settings that allow a certain profile to become age-restricted and filter out certain content, but how easy is it to simply switch profiles?
We’re not here to tell anyone what to do with their Netflix account or advise them on whether to keep it or get rid of it. Those are all decisions every family or individual can make for themselves.
What we can do is educate on the harmful, pornified messages some of the content on Netflix displays, but let’s be honest—Netflix isn’t special for having graphic content. Most other streaming platforms, as well as other TV networks, also have graphic, pornified content, too.
When in doubt, if you happen across a movie or show you’d like to watch but you’re not sure if it contains explicit content, search for a parental guide that can take you through what that movie or show contains. If you’re comfortable with what it shows, add it to your watchlist!
The harmful effects of porn are real
Whether a child is exposed to graphic content via a streaming service or a porn site, it’s good for parents and caretakers to be aware of what’s out there so they can protect their child.
Based on available data, the likely age of a child’s first exposure to porn is around tween years. The majority of kids are exposed to porn by age 13, with some exposed as young as seven, according to a 2020 survey.British Board of Film Classification. (2020). Young people, pornography & age-verification. BBFCCopy
The negative effects of porn, whether it be hardcore, softcore, on the internet, or on TV, are real. And we live in a digital age where this stuff can be accessed anywhere. The reality is, there is no way to completely avoid kids being exposed to porn.
But we can raise awareness and be educated on the scientifically illustrated harmful effects of pornography, and help the younger members of our families and communities be prepared for when they do encounter explicit content.
If you want to keep your Netflix subscription, just be informed about what’s on it. Get educated and help your family be educated, too. And if you need a movie night that can fully educate on the harmful effects of porn, stream our three-part documentary series about the harmful effects of porn for free.
Stream on, and keep fighting for love.
Your Support Matters Now More Than Ever
Most kids today are exposed to porn by the age of 12. By the time they’re teenagers, 75% of boys and 70% of girls have already viewed itRobb, M.B., & Mann, S. (2023). Teens and pornography. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.Copy —often before they’ve had a single healthy conversation about it.
Even more concerning: over half of boys and nearly 40% of girls believe porn is a realistic depiction of sexMartellozzo, E., Monaghan, A., Adler, J. R., Davidson, J., Leyva, R., & Horvath, M. A. H. (2016). “I wasn’t sure it was normal to watch it”: A quantitative and qualitative examination of the impact of online pornography on the values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of children and young people. Middlesex University, NSPCC, & Office of the Children’s Commissioner.Copy . And among teens who have seen porn, more than 79% of teens use it to learn how to have sexRobb, M.B., & Mann, S. (2023). Teens and pornography. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.Copy . That means millions of young people are getting sex ed from violent, degrading content, which becomes their baseline understanding of intimacy. Out of the most popular porn, 33%-88% of videos contain physical aggression and nonconsensual violence-related themesFritz, N., Malic, V., Paul, B., & Zhou, Y. (2020). A descriptive analysis of the types, targets, and relative frequency of aggression in mainstream pornography. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(8), 3041-3053. doi:10.1007/s10508-020-01773-0Copy Bridges et al., 2010, “Aggression and Sexual Behavior in Best-Selling Pornography Videos: A Content Analysis,” Violence Against Women.Copy .
From increasing rates of loneliness, depression, and self-doubt, to distorted views of sex, reduced relationship satisfaction, and riskier sexual behavior among teens, porn is impacting individuals, relationships, and society worldwideFight the New Drug. (2024, May). Get the Facts (Series of web articles). Fight the New Drug.Copy .
This is why Fight the New Drug exists—but we can’t do it without you.
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